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Data from: Dramatic niche shifts and morphological change in two insular bird species

Alström P, Fjeldså J, Jønsson KA, Ödeen A, Ericson PGP, Irestedt M

Date Published: February 10, 2015

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.40s3g

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Relationships of broad selection of Passeriformes, including Madanga ruficollis and Amaurocichla bocagii, based on concatenated ND2, ODC, myo and CHD1Z, analysed by Bayesian inferenece, partitioned by locus.

Bayesian inference tree of Madanga ruficollis, Amaurocichla bocagii and representatives of all clades of Anthus and Motacilla found in previous studies, including all “small pipits” (except A. petrosus, which was previously considered conspecific with A. spinoletta). Based on mitochondrial cytb and ND2, and nuclear ODC, myo and CHD1Z sequence data analysed in seven partitions (by locus and codon; see MadangaAllLoci.nxs).

Chronogram for the same taxa as in Supplementary Figures 2 and 3, based on cytb sequences and a relaxed molecular clock (2.1% / million years), inferred by Bayesian inference, with 95% highest posterior density intervals for the node ages.

AbstractColonizations of islands are often associated with rapid morphological divergence. We present two previously unrecognized cases of dramatic morphological change and niche shifts in connection with colonization of tropical forest-covered islands. These evolutionary changes have concealed the fact that the passerine birds madanga, Madanga ruficollis, from Buru, Indonesia, and São Tomé shorttail, Amaurocichla bocagii, from São Tomé, Gulf of Guinea, are forest-adapted members of the family Motacillidae (pipits and wagtails). We show that Madanga has diverged mainly in plumage, which may be the result of selection for improved camouflage in its new arboreal niche, while selection pressures for other morphological changes have probably been weak owing to preadaptations for the novel niche. By contrast, we suggest that Amaurocichla's niche change has led to divergence in both structure and plumage.